CHAPTER 4-THE BLACKWOOD FAMILY

The silence that followed Adrian's mother's words was uncomfortable enough to make me wish I could disappear.

I stood beside Adrian, trying not to let the tension show on my face. His mother's eyes remained fixed on me, studying everything from my dress to the wedding ring on my finger as if she were trying to determine exactly what kind of woman had managed to marry her son without her knowledge.

Adrian, however, looked completely calm.

"Mother, we just got married. This isn't the time for an interrogation."

His mother gave him a cold smile. "You are right. It isn't. Which is why I suggest we discuss this privately."

Her eyes moved back to me.

"Your wife can join us."

I almost laughed at the word wife.

It still sounded strange whenever someone used it to describe me.

Adrian seemed to notice my discomfort because his hand tightened slightly around mine.

"We'll discuss whatever you want later."

"No," his mother replied. "We will discuss it now."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

I looked between them and realized something important. This wasn't simply a mother who disliked her son's new wife. There was history here, something I didn't understand yet.

I gently pulled my hand from Adrian's.

"It's fine."

He turned toward me.

"Elena."

"I'm okay."

His mother watched the exchange carefully.

Then she turned toward the staircase.

"Come with me."

I hesitated before following her.

Adrian started after us.

His mother stopped.

"Not you."

He frowned.

"She's my wife."

"And I'm your mother."

Neither of them moved.

For a moment, I thought Adrian was going to argue.

Instead, he looked at me.

"If you need me, call me."

I nodded.

His mother continued walking.

I followed her into a large sitting room decorated with expensive furniture and paintings that probably cost more than everything I owned combined.

She sat down and gestured toward the chair opposite her.

I sat.

She didn't speak immediately.

Instead, she studied me.

Finally, she said, "How long have you known my son?"

"Two days."

Her eyebrows lifted.

"Two days?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

"And you married him after knowing him for two days?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds worse."

"It is worse."

I looked down at my hands.

There was no point pretending this was a normal marriage.

"You already know about the contract, don't you?"

"I know enough."

Her voice became colder.

"Adrian has always been impulsive when it comes to business, but I never imagined he would bring a complete stranger into this family."

"I'm not trying to become part of your family."

"You're wearing his ring."

I looked at the diamond on my finger.

"I'm wearing it because I'm his wife."

"For six months."

Her words landed harder than I expected.

I slowly looked back at her.

"Yes."

"Then what happens when those six months end?"

"I leave."

She seemed satisfied by the answer.

"Good."

I frowned.

"Good?"

"I don't want you becoming emotionally attached to my son."

I almost smiled.

"Don't worry. That's not part of the agreement."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Women have said that before."

I didn't know what to say to that.

She leaned back in her chair.

"Adrian's last engagement ended badly. Very badly. I will not watch him make another mistake because he thinks he can control everything with money."

I was surprised by the concern hidden beneath her harshness.

"Who was his fiancée?"

"Victoria Hale."

The name immediately brought back the conversation in the car.

"What happened?"

"That is Adrian's story to tell."

She stood.

"Just remember something, Elena. You may have entered this house as his temporary wife, but the moment the public learns about the contract, your life will change."

I looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because people will assume you married Adrian for money."

I swallowed.

"They wouldn't exactly be wrong."

Her expression hardened.

"Don't make jokes about it."

"I'm sorry."

She walked toward the door.

Then she stopped.

"One more thing."

I waited.

"Adrian is not as cold as he appears."

I blinked.

She continued before I could respond.

"That is precisely why you should be careful."

Then she walked out.

I remained in the room for several minutes, thinking about her warning.

Adrian wasn't as cold as he appeared.

I wasn't sure whether that was supposed to comfort me or frighten me.

When I finally left the sitting room, I found Adrian waiting in the hallway.

"What did she say?"

"She asked how long we'd known each other."

"And?"

"I told her two days."

He sighed.

"Of course you did."

"Would you rather I lied?"

"No."

He looked toward the sitting room.

"Did she threaten you?"

"Not exactly."

"What does that mean?"

I smiled faintly.

"Your mother is terrifying."

For the first time that day, Adrian actually laughed.

It was quiet and brief, but it changed his entire face.

I stared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You were staring."

"I've never heard you laugh before."

He looked away.

"You'll get used to it."

I wasn't sure why that sentence made my heart beat faster.

Before I could respond, a staff member approached us.

"Mr. Blackwood, your guests have arrived."

Adrian's expression immediately changed.

"What guests?"

"Several members of the family."

I looked at him.

"Family?"

He nodded.

"They want to meet you."

My stomach tightened.

"Today?"

"Apparently."

I took a deep breath.

"How many?"

"Six."

"Six?"

He nodded.

I looked down at my dress.

"I wasn't prepared for this."

"You'll be fine."

"That's easy for you to say. You've known them your entire life."

He stepped closer.

"Stay beside me."

I looked up at him.

"Why?"

"Because they'll ask questions."

"And?"

"Some of them won't be polite."

His voice was calm, but there was something protective in his expression.

"Then let them ask."

His eyes remained on mine.

"You don't have to defend yourself to anyone."

For some reason, those words gave me more confidence than they should have.

We entered the main living room together.

Six people were waiting.

The first was a tall man who looked slightly older than Adrian. Beside him sat a woman wearing an expensive dress and an expression that suggested she had already decided she disliked me.

Two older relatives were seated near the fireplace, while another young woman stood near the windows.

The moment Adrian and I entered, every conversation stopped.

The older man looked at our joined hands.

"So it's true."

Adrian didn't answer.

His mother walked into the room behind us.

"Everyone, this is Elena Moore."

The woman near the window smiled.

"She's beautiful."

The older woman beside her scoffed.

"Beauty isn't the question."

I felt Adrian's hand settle against my back.

The older man looked at me.

"How did you meet Adrian?"

I opened my mouth.

Before I could answer, Adrian said, "That's private."

The man chuckled.

"Private? You're married now. Nothing about this is private."

His wife leaned forward.

"How long have you been together?"

I exchanged a glance with Adrian.

He gave me a subtle nod.

"Not long."

The woman smiled.

"How long?"

I decided there was no point lying.

"Two days."

Silence.

Someone actually coughed.

The young woman near the window looked shocked.

The older woman laughed.

"Two days?"

Adrian's expression remained unreadable.

"Yes."

The older man looked at his son.

"You married a woman you met two days ago?"

Adrian's voice was firm.

"I did."

"And you expect us to believe this is a real marriage?"

"No."

Everyone went silent again.

I turned toward Adrian.

He continued calmly.

"It's a legal marriage. That's all you need to know."

His words should have made me feel relieved.

Instead, they hurt.

I reminded myself that this was exactly what we'd agreed to.

A contract.

Nothing more.

The woman who had been standing near the window suddenly approached us.

She looked at me with a strange mixture of curiosity and pity.

"I'm Sophia."

I smiled politely.

"Elena."

She glanced at Adrian.

"Does Victoria know?"

The room became silent.

Adrian's expression changed instantly.

"Sophia."

"What?" she asked innocently. "She deserves to know."

I looked at Adrian.

"Who is Victoria?"

No one answered.

Then the front doors opened.

Everyone turned.

A woman stepped into the house.

She was elegant, confident, and beautiful in a way that made everyone in the room notice her immediately.

Her eyes found Adrian.

Then they moved to me.

And finally, they stopped on the wedding ring.

Her expression changed.

Adrian went completely still.

The woman slowly smiled.

"So it's true."

My heart sank.

She walked closer.

"Congratulations, Adrian."

Then she looked directly at me.

"I suppose you're Elena."

I couldn't speak.

She extended her hand.

"Victoria Hale."

I stared at the woman who had just introduced herself.

Adrian's former fiancée.

The woman his mother had warned me about.

Victoria's smile remained perfectly calm, but there was something dangerous behind her eyes.

Then she looked at Adrian again.

"You replaced me quickly."

Adrian's voice was cold.

"Victoria, you shouldn't be here."

She gave a soft laugh.

"Oh, I think I should."

Her gaze returned to me.

"After all, I came to see the woman who took my place."

My fingers tightened around Adrian's.

For the first time since I had entered the Blackwood mansion, I understood what his mother had meant.

The contract might have been temporary.

But the war surrounding this marriage was only beginning.